1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates to network communication and, more specifically, to controlling an accuracy of various oscillators within the network.
2. Related Art
Femtocells and small cells are base stations deployed as part of cellular networks. These base stations have a shorter range and transmit at a lower power compared to macrocells that service a much wider area. Small cells and femtocells are therefore deployed in much greater numbers to supplement the cellular network and therefore are more cost sensitive. This type of cellular network having macrocells, small cells, and femtocells is collectively known as a “HetNet” (Heterogeneous Network).
Accuracy and synchronization of various lower cost oscillators of various cell members (femtocells or small cells) has traditionally been solved by using a combination of GPS, macrocell “sniffing”, and synchronization through an IP connection utilizing an internet time synchronization protocol such as NTP or IEEE 1588. GPS, although capable of providing an accurate synchronized time signal, generally requires “line of sight” with the satellite source, and performs poorly when the HetNet cells are primarily located indoors or otherwise obstructed from a line of sight view. Macrocell sniffing is a process by which a small cell or femtocell “sniffs” a nearby macrocell over a broadcast channel to update its local clock to match the macrocell clock, which is considered to be a reliable source. However, because femtocells and small cells are often deployed to supplement areas where macrocell coverage is poor or absent, this method does not address situations in which the femtocells and small cells are located outside the macrocell coverage area. Finally, using an IP network synchronization protocol is not always a viable solution either, as the use of such protocols is highly dependent on Internet Service Provider (ISP) QoS, suffers from slow performance, and uses additional bandwidth.
The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the reference number.